Avoiding Rabies in Asia

Information about the
prevalence of rabies in Asia for families traveling with kids. Rabies is not a
disease you commonly hear about or associate with family travel with kids, but
it is something you should be keeping on your radar. In fact, children are at
higher risk of contracting rabies as they are attracted to animals and less
likely to be able to avoid scratches and bites from affected animals. For
anyone traveling to Asia with kids including destinations like Bali, Thailand,
Vietnam, Fiji or the Philippines, here are some travel tips from International Medical Clinicin Singapore for
how to avoid rabies coming into contact with your family.

What Is Rabies

Rabies is a
viral illness affecting a wide range of domestic and wild animals including dogs,
monkeys and bats. Rabies is widely distributed across the globe. More than
55,000 people (mostly children) die of rabies each year. About 95% of human
deaths occur in Asia and Africa.

Human infection
almost always occurs through the bite of an infected animal via its saliva.
Infection can also occur from a penetrating scratch or licking of broken skin
and mucous membranes. The disease is almost invariably and rapidly fatal.

Rabies In Asia Pacific

Almost
all the countries in the Asia Pacific region have endemic rabies (meaning
rabies is regularly found in these countries). The exceptions to this are
Singapore, Malaysia, Japan,
Australia and New Zealand. An outbreak of rabies started on the popular
tourist island of Bali in December 2008 with reports of a number of deaths
occurring still in 2015. A map showing worldwide risk areas can be found
here.

Who is Most at Risk of Contracting Rabies

Tourists
spending a lot of time outdoors are at higher risk, especially those who travel
with kids. Children are also more likely to be exposed to rabies because they may
not report scratches or bites to their parents.

Vaccinations for Kids and Rabies

Vaccinations
for kids are effective in preventing the illness and work best if given before
exposure. The full rabies vaccination for kids requires multiple injections
delivered over several weeks so you should visit your travel doctor at least a
few months before you plan to leave for your family holiday.

If you or your children are exposed to rabies before you get your
vaccinations, you may require rabies immunoglobulin within 48 hours of
exposure. You should be aware that this may be very difficult to find even in
some major cities. It is extremely
important to always seek early medical attention after any possible exposure to
rabies especially when you travel with kids.